FPA Blog

What Do You Want?

If you want love, it’s best to give it to others. In abundance. Without strings if possible. Which is fun and quite freeing once you get over yourself.

If you want relevance, do something for others, without strings if possible. Which is also freeing when you look back on life and wonder why you were here. Something my years in hospice taught me.

Nominations for “of the year” by Feb. 6
If you want to see a business you like or a volunteer get recognition, send in your nomination for Volunteer of the Year and Business of the Year to wendi_gianni@sbcglobal.net. Your nomination is welcome at the Chamber Board meeting as well on Wednesday, Feb. 6, 5:30PM at the Firehouse Community Room.

Upcoming Performances, Feb. 23
If it’s dance you want, there is an upcoming performance from our local high school and Charter school where you’ll see creativity in action. It’s Saturday, Feb. 23 either at 2PM or 7PM at the El Molino Café Theater. I’ll be there.

Regular Tutoring Available
If you are a student and it’s help with school you want, El Molino has Study Halls Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 2-3 with Tutoring available Monday and Wednesdays from 3-4. I wonder what more I could have accomplished in life had I gotten some help with math. Me with a grand daughter who is a wiz at math and doesn’t like to read, a favorite activity for me. El Mo does much for our kids, they really care. Send your kids there, and they will thrive.

Hollydale Club Sunday Brunch, Feb. 24
If you want a great breakfast, there is the Last Sunday Brunch at the Hollydale Club on Feb. 24 from 9AM – noon. It includes their famous Eggs Benedict, potatoes, fruit and all sorts of beverage for $10. They served over 1,000 meals last year. Totally sweet spot on the planet with an authentic feel for our history along the river. Let’s keep it going!

Chamber’s Crab Feed Success Story
If you want a success story, look no further than last month’s Chamber’s Crab Feed. It was their second annual and another sell-out crowd. They had to order extra crab from Bodega and made beer runs to keep up. Forestvillians like to eat and party is the only conclusion I can come to. With great gift certificates from local businesses, 5 nights in Hawaiian, a night at Farmhouse Inn, rock from the local quarry (that’s the prize I’d want) and a Giants Jacket up for bid they are still counting the money as of this writing. Super thanks to all the donors who made it happen including Andy’s Produce, Nightingale Bakery and our local wineries for sure!

FernGully: The Last Rainforest at Methodist Church, March 1
If you want to learn more about the environment and how some folks are rescuing it, show up at the First Friday movie at the Methodist Church on March 1st They will be showing Fern Gully…the Last Rainforest starting at 7PM after cartoons. Their Irish Potato Dinner will be held Sunday the 10th where your potato and fixings are free along with a “Irish green dessert”. Donations will not only include food, but some lively music too. RSVP to the church at 887-2020.

Local Focus
If you want more empowerment through community action, like Town Hall meetings, what topics would you want covered? I’m curious as one of your newly elected MAC representatives. Noticing several of my friends are still recovering from the 2017 wildfires I’d personally like to see a neighborhood response to preparing for when it happens here. What kind of lessons did my friends learn? Who has a ham radio? What is your backup plan? Is your “go bag” ready? Or are you more like me, sort of prepared, but not completely? Am I all talk and no action?

Wider Focus
Would you want a functioning government? Someday we will look back and ask, “what were they thinking?” as the impasse over immigration politics spills into more and more lives. I went to the Tijuana border the other day and saw no chaos, no people scrambling over the fence, but the government is shut down as I write this. Something is wrong. Can we do better than that on things in local control? Will our kids ask that about us? What were we thinking? Didn’t anyone care? What do we want to be known for? Being too busy? Being too lazy? Being victims and blamers? Let’s choose instead being active, being engaged, being powerful, being present, being caring. The choice is yours to make so what do you want?